If there's one word to describe Robert Ryan, it's "dangerous". He's not the rebel with a heart of gold, nor is he so bad you'll fear for your life, but he's the type of bad boy that makes a girl know she's headed for trouble - and she picks up the pace. If you've only seen him in movies like Bad Day at Black Rock and Crossfire, check out Alaska Seas. Yes, he's still the bad guy, but he's a whole lot of fun, too. The dangerous kind, that is.
He and Brian Keith are former pals and business partners of an Alaskan cannery. Robert took off for a year and Brian held down the fort, and also fell in love with Robert's girl, Jan Sterling. Jan knows Brian is steady, and she intends to build a life with him; but when Robert comes back, her hormones make her think twice about her decision. The tension and banter skirt around the Hays Code as much as possible, and it's a very entertaining love triangle. Robert and Brian frequently have a Beefcake of the Year contest, and it's easy to understand why Jan is so torn. Whichever one gets her will be a lucky guy - check out her teeny, tiny waist! She puts Scarlett O'Hara to shame.
The sideline of Alaska Seas is the cannery business. Brian is legitimate, and Gene Barry is a poacher who tries to lure Robert to his side. Both plots are interesting and entertaining, and even though Robert is still the bad guy (he very rarely wasn't), he's very tempting. If you like him in this, check him out in Clash by Night, another steamy drama in a fishing village, or Ice Palace, another Alaskan cannery drama where he's actually the good guy!
